Monday, October 28, 2013

Freedom of choice

Every year at this time I choose to wear a poppy to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, willingly or not. This is my choice, I do it to honour the fallen and those who live with the consequences of serving their country in the armed services. As for those who choose not to wear a poppy or even wear a white one, that is there choice too, so long as it's an informed choice and not something else...
Telegraph.
A female vicar has sparked fury by refusing to wear a poppy when she conducts this year's remembrance service because the symbol 'advocates war'.
American-born Reverend Patricia Jackson announced the controversial decision at a meeting of the clergy.
The vicar, who calls herself Rev PJ, told local councillors it was her "democratic right" not to wear the poppy when she conducts the service at Hadley Methodist Church in Telford, Shropshire on November 10.
She refused to give a reason for her decision but a spokesperson at the Telford circuit said it was because Rev Jackson is in favour of peace.
A church spokesman said: "Reverend Jackson is happy to wear a white poppy but doesn't want to wear a red one because she feels it advocates war which is something she does not believe in.
I foresee a vicar in a world of trouble soon, however that's her choice. However i do believe the idiot woman is misinformed as to the red poppy's significance as it does not commemorate war, does not glorify war nor does it advocate militarism. It reminds us of sacrifice and those who fell as well as those who served. There is precious little glory in war as any conversation with soldiers, sailors or airmen will tell you. Nor does the horror of seeing your friends killed or maimed give them anything other than grief.
As for the white poppy, well it was used by the Women's Cooperative back in 1933 as a symbol to end all wars, six years later the UK was fighting for its life agains the Nazi's, there was the horror of the concentration camps and the systematic murder of foreign nationals on their own soil by the Einsatzgruppen der Sicherheitspolizei und des SD. The white poppy to me symbolises the peace at any price mindset of the hard of thinking aka the left who are happy to disarm civilisation, though no one else. These were the same people who wanted to ban the bomb (only for the UK) spied upon their own citizens and raved about the socialist paradises across the iron curtain and who still bitterly regret the people there throwing off the yoke of the communists.
The white poppy to me does not symbolise peace, but surrender, this is my view and one which I hold too which is why I will never wear one and do not care for those who do. However this is their choice as it is the vicars choice.
That said, why the hell is she still doing the remembrance service for the fallen if she chooses not to honour their memory?

7 annotations:

Kath Lissenden said...

As I have mentioned before my son is a serving soldier with 2 tours of Afghan, my brother saw service in the first Gulf war. I wear a poppy to support those injured, maimed or killed and their families.
This woman in my view needs a swift kick her attitude is NOT christian, Poppies are sold and the proceeds go to the support of the casualties of war and their families, those men and women who risk life and limb to protect us. Someone needs to teach her the true meaning of the poppy, it is for remembrance, not a symbol of war. She might just as well join Choudrey and his poppy burning pals. People like her make me really angry. Yes it is personal choice to wear a poppy or not, but soldiers when they fight don't have the luxury of fighting for the freedoms of just those who wear the poppy on remembrance sunday, they fight for the freedoms of us all including the leftie rabble who would sell them down the river. I know it sounds harsh but I hope this woman needs medical assistance some day and that the only person around to help her is a services medic like my son.

Anonymous said...

I think the red poppy symbolises the sacrifice of ordinary men and women it doesn't glorify war rather the red flower with its association to Flanders is a reminder of the horrible reality of war. The only glorification it serves is to remind us of those that serve and in a practical way help bereaved families and injured personnel. Shame on her and her desire to be good without doing good.

English Pensioner said...

The main thing that I've noticed this year is that everybody on TV seems to be wearing them earlier than ever. They must have saved them from last year as I haven't yet noticed them on sale locally. Surely 1st November is early enough, assuming that I can get one by then.

GalaPie said...

I got mine outside our local Sainsbury's yesterday although did forget to put it on before stumbling out the house at 5am this morning for work..!

Dioclese said...

I have mixed feelings. I see where she is coming from but by the same token people gave their lives and should be respected and remembered for it.

Thankfully I don't have to make the choice because as a pensioner I can't afford to buy one...

Anonymous said...

I wonder if she would understand my view of burning a cross outside her church one Sunday evening, just before Evensong, on the grounds that it represents what I consider to be a repressive, mind bending, cult. Surely, this misguided lady wouldn't have any problems with this.
Penseivat

Anonymous said...

I believe the Poppy was chosen because when the guns finally fell silent after the Armistice, sometime later many of the fields on the Western Front were covered in Poppies. It became the symbol of remembrance to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, NOT WAR.

Of course people have a choice whether to wear a Poppy or not and of any colour they choose. What I cannot understand, is that they confuse their own prejudices with a simple but solemn act.